09 August 2008

We continue to sweat, and conduct a very small amount of actual training combined with a shocking amount of administrative goatfuckery. This would be more disturbing if it wasn't one of the constant parts of this process.

We have a muckety-muck type of guy on the ground here today, so we're all hiding or looking busy. I, for instance, am doing this entry in the background while completing some online risk management course.

Have I mentioned how much I hate online courses? I think I have.

I sat through a truly asinine class yesterday on a piece of software designed to assist us in cataloging infrastructure assessments. This might have been useful if the software was actually being fielded, but it's not, so it was more like sitting through an eight-hour timeshare sales pitch.

There's been some drama down here as a result of a formal complaint another unit lodged alleging horrible living conditions that subjected them to "grotesque heat." It is hot, but it's not grotesque. The unit in question, however, was moved from our current location to a hotel so that they may sleep in comfort. I won't name them, but I will say that I hope they're not around if I'm ever bleeding in the desert, since they probably wouldn't bring me a pressure dressing if it's above 85 degrees.

There's not much else to add from here. In addition to hiding, I have to go ensure my soldiers are packing their rucks with enough crap to give them a suitably heavy load for our practice ruckmarch this evening.

06 August 2008

Has anyone noticed how much fun South Central Texas is this time of year? Especially without a/c?

The bad news is, the days are really hot. The good news is, it cools off enough at night to sleep comfortably.

I've been only semi-busy, engaging in all the fun stuff - re-entering the exact same info into multiple databases and onto multiple DA forms, getting a gas mask fitting, and taking mandatory classes. I'm two days through an "IED Defeat Trainer" class. That's consisted largely of looking at slides featuring photos of dirt and being asked, "can you spot the IED?"

Well, partner, if we could spot them, they wouldn't be such a problem, would they?

In more entertaining news, I was trapped in a porta-jon for a brief period of time by one of the colony of skunks here. Said skunks seemed to find it amusing to hang out in front of the porta-jon and watch me try to figure out if I dared to walk out right next to it. I didn't dare, but then again, I didn't get sprayed, either.

More updates as time passes, now that I've found a fellow Soldier with one of those nifty Verizon internet cards.